Round‑the‑Clock Care in Kerala’s Government Hospitals: Muraleedharan’s Vision

On Saturday, September 5, 2026, the Kerala University of Health Sciences cut the ribbon on a brand‑new building for the School of Family Health Studies at the Government Medical College in Kozhikode. The event was more than a simple inauguration – it was a platform for Health Minister K. Muraleedharan to lay out a sweeping health‑care agenda for the state.

Muraleedharan stressed that Kerala must become a place where its own students can pursue health‑science courses without feeling the pressure to move elsewhere. He said the government is already working on expanding infrastructure, including the long‑awaited second government medical college in Thiruvananthapuram, and is putting fresh effort into upgrading the existing medical colleges that were started under the previous UDF administration.

Perhaps the most headline‑grabbing promise was his commitment to “round‑the‑clock” services in every government general hospital. The minister explained that new appointments of doctors, nurses and support staff are underway, specifically to ensure that no patient ever has to wonder whether a doctor will be on duty at midnight.

Those gathered at the ceremony – MLA K. Jayanth, KUHS Vice‑Chancellor Mohanan Kunnummal, Pro‑Vice‑Chancellor C. P. Vijayan, among others – echoed the sentiment that these steps will tighten the health‑care net across the state. While the details are still being hammered out, the overarching message was clear: Kerala is gearing up to deliver continuous, quality health services right at home.